CF MOTO 450 MT vs Himalayan, Honda NX500 & Triumph 400X - Best Small Adventure Bike? [QuickTest#41]

Regarding the snatchy throttle, most of the 450MT owner recommend to adjust the cable slack to resolve the issue. As for the foot peg being too high, an optional high seat height 850-870 will resolve the issue for taller rider. Good review!

In my country, where the 450MTs were globally launched, and where most people ride 100-150cc mopeds and scooters, you can now see 450MTs on a daily basis commuting around Manila. CFMOTO tell me that their main problem is keeping them in stock! I've just ridden the 450MT again in the real world (i.e. not at the launch event) and am stunned at how light it feels between the legs compared to the Himalayan 450. That snatchy fueling is really the main niggle for me, and maybe the clutch feel, which has completely no feedback. I'm a Royal Enfield fan, but I think for riders for whom single-cylinder character, retro looks, or heritage is not a concern, the 450MT just offers the best package at the best price for a small adventure tourer. The feeling of weight on the Himmy is a serious question mark for me as a potential owner, and maybe a distant second are the vibes and the laggy throttle. The Scrambler is a lovely bike as well but not in the same league as the 450MT and Himmy for overall capability.

I traded in my RE Classic 500 for the new Himalayan and couldn't be happier! I don't know if you've seen the black and gold trim in person but it looks amazing and I'm getting lots of compliments. Did 400km in the Alps last weekend with my wife and luggage: power and comfort are absolutely enough for us (we're pretty light). Gas mileage is amazing, we got 3.0L/100km. The drawbacks I'm seeing for now: - Vibes in the footpegs after 5000rpm (mitigated with rubber pegs and good motorcycle boots) - Tiny mirrors. - Feeling heat from the engine on my legs at city speeds + fan turns on all the time. Stock radiator protection may be too restrictive. - Temperature indicator is overly optimistic, it was saying 20C when we clearly felt 13C... - Have to keep the phone screen on for the Google Maps mirroring feature. - Stock headlight isn't bright enough even though it's LED. - No stock hand guards and I can't find any that fit with a two point mouting system (the RE ones are out of stock everywhere). - Brakes are way better than on the old himalayan but still not as good as the Honda's. - Basically all accessories are hard to find right now. And most of the ones that were advertised when the bike was announced have not come out yet, which is disappointing. RE keeps doing that, for example the side cases for the Super Meteor only just came out, a year and a half after the bike was released. Most early adopters have already bought luggage by now... I know it's quite a long list but it's a great bike and I love it! 😂

I agree with your ranking. Looks like the CFMoto is the new kid on the block. Great video as always .

Ha ha ha this is the first bike review I’ve ever seen that references a Citroen BX. Lovely. Cheers for another great video.

I think I see more and more reviews for CF MOTO 450, maybe it will be a popular bike. Thanks for sharing :)

The video i was waiting for, and perfect timing for me. I rode the speed 400 (too much vibration to my taste) and struggling to find a demo mt450 (i only sat on one) (which is on top of my current list). I am not surprised by your conclusion. Thx

Excellent video, you are eloquent, your statements are well argumented. I hesitate between himalayan and 450mt, but I'm becoming increasingly inclined toward 450 mt... Greetings from Croatia!

“Enfields are built like a gun but I’m not buying a gun.” 😂 I love my Enfields but you’re right, they are getting closer to others in price including the excellent Benelli TRK which would be another value proposition in this sector.

I have owned a grey/black 450mt for 3 weeks now in Australia, I have just done the 1000km run in period and can verify 99% of the throttle snatch can be adjusted out via the cable slack, the high seat gives extra leg room between the pegs. I also have a 23 Africa twin and the 450mt is an excellent bike for the money and in general.

Himalayan 450 owner here (and an owner of old 411 too). I appreciate your honesty and am not gonna say anything about your comments because you didn’t say anything bad or untrue. Anyway, I am riding primarily off road, and was thinking between 450MT and a Himalayan. I was honestly leaning a little bit more towards the MT, BUT, where I live (Dubai), it is a bit strange market. So Himalayan came and costs exactly 4000€ here when you convert, at the moment. In the meantime, 450MT is not yet available, but they said at the dealer it is gonna arrive end of August and going to cost somewhere between 6000-7000€. As much as I was inclined a bit towards the CFMoto, at that price difference it was a no brainer for me. And another very important thing to consider, might be different in other markets, but here in UAE, there is a rather large Enfield community of amazing people, while CFMoto, has none. So I went with the Enfield. If I was buying a bike in Europe (where I am from), most probably it would have been 450MT

Ive got a grey 450mt on order can't wait just hoping it turns up ! My dearly hasn't a clue when its coming , demand is very high apparently in England ❤

I’m planning to ride down through the TET from the UK and then across the Atlas Mountains and back - I’ve tried the Himalayan 450 it was great except the stock tyres were no good off-road; need to try the CF Moto out as it might be the one to go for, it has the right tyres and some nice accessories as standard as well as the low seat height I need!

I own Himalayan 450 since few months. I choose it over triumph scrambler as in my test ride it was stalling on second great before ecu update and buzz in highway speeds. Apart from heat in city traffic there is not much to complain on Himalayan and it's go anywhere stance is a plus and plenty of service centers compared to triumph in my country

The triumph is a great looking bike. I met some guys off road last weekend who were riding the mt450, they were with some guys riding aprillia Tuaregs and said they had no trouble keeping up and going anywhere the Tuareg could go.

Currently, I have a CB500X and was contemplating upgrading to the NX500. However, like many enthusiasts, I've spent considerable time evaluating the newly released 450 offerings. Making a purchase without firsthand experience can be daunting, so I decided to visit my local CFMoto dealer for a test ride of the 450SR, which features a similar motor to the 450MT, it was an absolute joy to ride. This positive experience led me to place a fully refundable deposit for the 450MT, which I am excited to pick up soon. The fun ride of the 450SR was a significant deciding factor for me. Additionally, the local CFMoto dealer assured me that they've sold numerous bikes with the same 450 motor without encountering any major issues. The value for money, combined with the extensive network of CFMoto dealers and the attractive 3-year warranty, further influenced my decision, especially compared to Honda's offerings. I also wanted to mention that positive reviews like yours have been incredibly helpful throughout this process. Keep up the great work on your channel!

Nice review. Ordered my cfmoto just waiting on delivery

Another great review, why do you not have a hundred thousand subscribers? I find my self drawn to all these bikes. The triumph is so desirable, the Honda, well enough said, and the CF Moto not only looks the part but rides well . I just do not believe that I could live with 40 horsepower. So that being said I’m going to buy a used Vstrom 650. I hope I don’t regret it. Thanks for all your efforts

Agree with you 98%, as I'm not as tall as you, I have no issues with feeling cramped on the MT. The MT also comes stock with folding mirrors and folding gear shifter and GPS/phone mount crossbar and an adjustable windshield height function - all these are great haves for off-road riding and cost factor saving considerations when compared to the other brands. Shame about no cruise control.

Great review. Thorough and objective for what you want and need. I went the CF Moto as well and agree with all your comments. A lot of the issues with the CF Moto can I think be adjusted apart from the screen font size. I found the throttle very snatchy and the seat too low. I’ll adjust the cable. I have a high seat on order as well as the larger touring screen.